In just three weeks, the first round of the NHL Draft will be complete and the Flyers will have added a new piece to the organization's pipeline of prospects.
In preparation, we have started taking a closer look at prospects that could be targets for the Flyers with the 18th overall pick.
Our series continues today with left winger Riley Tufte.
If the Flyers were to look at Riley Tufte with the 18th overall pick, they would be more or less taking a flyer on him. The high-schooler has the essential tools but his potential is hard to judge without experience in the junior or college ranks.
Tufte split his time last season between the Fargo Force of the USHL and his high school team at Blaine High School in Minnesota. In 27 games with the Force, Tufte scored 10 goals and added four assists for 14 points. In 25 games at the high school level, he scored 47 goals and added 31 assists for 78 points — over three per game — and served as captain of the team.
"Tufte (somewhat) controversially went back for one more year with his Blaine high school team this year, but it turned out to be a master stroke," Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News writes. "Starting the year in Fargo, he struggled. But the 6-foot-5 University of Minnesota-Duluth commit went off at Blaine for three points a game and now back in the USHL, he looks like a brand new player – the best raw prospect one scout had seen from the state of Minnesota in decades."
The skills are there with Tufte, but when he tried to take it to a greater level at the USHL, he struggled early on, which led to a return to high-school hockey where he was able to show that raw talent that has made him a talking point among first-round prospects.
His 6'5" size is very apparent and the 18-year-old knows how to use that size to his advantage. Despite the size though, he possesses more qualities of a skill forward, not the prototypical power forward qualities. His shot is quick, he has soft hands and a quick release.
Tufte has a few interesting tidbits that come with him. He was diagnosed with Diabetes when he was 11. Flyers legend Bobby Clarke also played his career with Type 1 Diabetes and has served as an inspiration to players that much deal with the health risks of Diabetes.
In addition, Tufte plays a similar game to Florida Panthers forward Nick Bjugstad. The irony here is that Bjugstad once wore the same No. 27 for Blaine High School, and plays a similar game. Tufte's brother was best friends with Bjugstad and the two have kept in touch throughout the years.
Obviously, the biggest weakness for Tufte is the experience. Aside from the 27 games in the USHL, all of his play has come at the high school level. His compete level and defense need work and there is a lot of room for development.
In other words, this is no instant fix, but with Tufte committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth next season, he will get exposure and playing time at the college level and look to develop into a potential future winger for the Flyers.
You can see some of Tufte's highlights below.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
